The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in July 2016 that an estimated 35,200 people were killed on the road in 2015, up 7.7 percent from 32,675 in 2014. According to a study by the Exxon Mobile Corporation, 83% of American drivers drink nonalcoholic beverages while driving. A study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that those who eat and drive increase the odds of an accident by 80%. Distractions, like eating, can become problematic for drivers as it hinders the drivers' ability to quickly react to situations, such as a sharp curve according to a study by the NHTSA. This study has ranked the worst foods to eat behind the wheel based on a survey of drivers. Coffee, which is the most often consumed beverage in vehicles, is deemed the worst, bringing new meaning to the adage “don't drink and drive.”
FIGS. 20A-22B illustrate schematic front and side views of the driver's head when drinking from conventional drinking containers. FIGS. 20A and 20B illustrate the angle of the container in relation to the drinker's head when the drink starts to flow. FIGS. 21A and 21B illustrate the angle of the container in relation to the drinker's head when the drink enters the drinker's mouth and the nose is touching the container's top. FIGS. 22A and 22B illustrate the drinker's head tilting back to finish the drink. From the beginning of the drink to the tilting of the head, the drinker's vision becomes blocked.
When a driver consumes beverage from conventional drink containers, it is nearly impossible for the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road due to the drink container needing to be in front of the driver's face and requiring the driver to tilt his/her head back to drink, namely to avoid the container hitting the driver's nose on the container or to avoid spilling. Even if the drink container is configured to slope to minimize nose contact, it is still disposed in front of the driver.
There is a dire need to make driving safe while consuming beverages. The present invention addresses this need.